


of hearts and beginnings

by paniqatd



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Artist Steve Rogers, Captain America Steve Rogers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kid Steve Rogers, Kid Tony Stark, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, POV Steve Rogers, Past Character Death, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Tony Stark, Romantic Fluff, SteveTony-centric, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, a lot of soulmate tropes, based on "In a Crowd of Thousands", just... trust me. its literally unrepentant fluff, not really what you think it is lmao, this is basically... reincarnation + soulmate au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:01:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28193619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paniqatd/pseuds/paniqatd
Summary: "Listen, I believe that these souls, no matter what, will be together. I believe that you, Steven Rogers, and I, Anthony Stark, are soulmates, and no matter what we’ll always find each other. Even if we die tomorrow, we’ll be together in another life, and I want you to promise me that you’ll find me. I want you to swear that you’ll find me, whoever we are, whatever we become, for us, for me. Promise me.”“I’ll find you. I’ll always do. How about you? Would you do that for me too?”“Of course I will, I always will.”“I love you, Anthony Stark.”“And I you, Steven Rogers.”(read the tags!)
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 2
Kudos: 72





	of hearts and beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> (This is basically a soulmate AU where they keep getting reincarnated and the other remembers all their past lives while the other only remembers once they see their soulmate, but there are other soulmate AUs within this fanfic which I tried to tag to the best of my abilities.
> 
> Also, sidenote: None of the Earths I numbered are real, just in case we confuse anything. The Earth I used for the Avengers weren’t in any canon worlds, though I would say it was closest to MCU probably? Just... creative freedom and all that.
> 
> Feedback and kudos are appreciated!)
> 
> “But I knew even then, in a crowd of thousands, I’d find you again.” 
> 
> \- In A Crowd of Thousands, Derek Klena and Christy Altomare

##  **Earth 247**

“Steve, do you believe in soulmates? Before, I never did, but now? When I have you and we might possibly face each other in battle when the sun rises? I think I do now.”

“Tony...”

“I believe that the universe fights to get these two souls together, because it balances the world. I believe that these souls were once joined as a powerful thing that were suddenly separated by the gods, which I never believed in until now, so fate fights to keep them together. In every lifetime, every world, they must be together, and they will be together.”

“Yeah? You make me want to believe in that too.”

“Don’t pretend like you don’t already. Listen, I believe that these souls, no matter what, will be together. I believe that you, Steven Rogers, and I, Anthony Stark, are soulmates, and no matter what we’ll always find each other. Even if we die tomorrow, we’ll be together in another life, and I want you to promise me that you’ll find me. I want you to swear that you’ll find me, whoever we are, whatever we become, for us, for me. Promise me.”

“I’ll find you. I’ll always do. How about you? Would you do that for me too?”

“Of course I will, I always will.”

“I love you, Anthony Stark.”

“And I you, Steven Rogers.”

##  **Earth 312**

Bucky ran, dragging a thin and lanky Steve behind him.

“Bucky! Slow down!” Steve shouted at him, his lungs protesting for the lack of air.

“We need to join the parade to welcome the Royal Family, and we need to be there fast or we might miss it!” Bucky shouted in return, and they kept running, dodging innocent pedestrians on the street as they run to the plaza of the kingdom. Black and white bled into the background as they run faster when they saw the thick swarm of people on the main road. They halted just behind the crowd, and Steve caught his breath as Bucky tried to get a better look of the road.

As soon as he got a decent amount of air in his lungs he stood up and tried to find some ledge to use as a leverage to get a better view, so he looked around until he saw a block of cement half the height of the people in the crowd. “Bucky, give me a lift!” Steve shouted over the noise of the crowd while pointing to the block, and when Bucky spotted it he nodded and they ran towards it. Bucky got up first before pulling Steve, so they were both standing on it.

“Where are they?” Bucky asked, and Steve shushed him and told him to be patient. Steve wondered briefly how beautiful it would look like if he could see in color, but his thoughts went silent when a trumpet was blown and the footsteps of horses were drowned out by the wild shouts of the people. Steve barely noticed the insistent tapping on his shoulder and the whispers and shouts in his ears as the King and Queen got into view, sitting on horses, with a little boy behind them. The boy was surrounded by knights, his fluffy curls shadowing his face as he brushed his clothes. The crowd started cheering “All hail the Royal Family!” repeatedly, but all Steve can let out was a gasp as the boy and him meet each other’s gazes and something strange and strong washed over him. Suddenly the world exploded with color, and he could see the brown eyes of the boy gazing at him, and then it clicked.

“Tony,” he gasped, memories of how they promised each other to find each other before dying tragically in the war while protecting each other. He jumped down, ignoring Bucky’s shouts of warning, and started calling Tony. Never once did Steve break eye contact with Tony, and the wide brown eyes never wavered as he got closer...

And closer...

Until they were standing in front of each other, Steve panting and holding out his hand before looking up.

Tony’s bright smile was contagious, and Steve found himself smiling as he bowed. “Your highness,” he said, and when he looked up he caught a glance of Tony’s smile widening before the sun blinded him and he had to look away. When Steve opened his eyes, Tony was gone, but he kept smiling, even when Bucky kept tugging at him before pulling him away back into the crowd.

Tony, however, would remember this promise 20 years later, while he was in bed with his knight in shining armor.

##  **Earth 750**

Steve was just quietly sketching the next page for his comic, and after 30 minutes of putting realistic details in the hair as much as possible he sighed before putting the pencil down and soothing the pain in his fingers from aggressively shading and erasing. The breeze was just right, making the area warm but not unbearably so that he was sweating, and the aura of the atmosphere was so peaceful that he found himself flipping to a blank page and absentmindedly drawing what came to mind as soon as the pain in his hand was gone.

He began thinking of Tony, of how he would appear this time. Steve clearly remembered how he met the man two lives before, stumbling home drunk on the sidewalk and almost puking in Steve’s shoes if he hadn’t dodged fast. He snorted, subconsciously rubbing his wrist. He didn’t have to look at what was written, but that didn’t mean he hasn’t looked at the name “Anthony Edward Stark” in swirly bold calligraphy around his wrist. Admittedly, the first two times he remembered his past lives were quite terrifying, but now it left nothing but anticipation and excitement of how it would be next. Steve blinked at his drawing, which is of Tony (again), and he smiled before continuing on small details.

After a few more minutes, when Steve decided that the drawing is complete, he closed the sketchbook and looked up at the tree across the street, and the leaves fluttered and fell before he heard someone clear their throat. He turned and felt his heartbeat spike when he saw Tony, in full civilian clothes with a gentle smile that never failed to melt his insides. He made himself get it together, before pretending to be a civil stranger.

“Yes?” Steve said, making Tony smile a little wider. 

“I was wondering if I could keep you company; you seem lonely.” Steve snorted, before replying. “I hardly am, but please, help yourself,” he said, and Tony grinned before sitting.

“I shouldn’t have assumed you were, now that I think about it. The park does seem to be peaceful,” Tony said, continuing their polite conversation, and even if Steve wanted to tell him who he was already he kept still. He did, after all, had more than enough practice with being patient. “Agreed. The mood is just perfect for relaxing and talking to strangers,” Steve said, knowing the reaction it would get out of Tony. 

Tony laughed, eyes twinkling, making Steve grin. Not wanting to give up the anonymity just yet, Steve went on. “Since you’re here, kind sir, may I ask if you know anything about art?” Tony regarded him thoughtfully, part curiosity and part wonder, much to Steve’s smugness. “I might know a thing or two, why do you ask?” Steve smiled.

“Well I would like to ask your opinion on a drawing I have,” he said, opening the sketchbook to the drawing of Tony he just did a few minutes ago. He pushed it towards Tony, who began studying the drawing intensely. He watched Tony furrow his eyebrows, probably realizing how similar the drawing is to himself. “Did you draw this just now?” Tony asked, his hand slowly tracing the smooth lines of the figure. “Yes, I am a big fan of the Marvel’s Adventures magazines after all,” Steve said, making Tony look up.

“A fan, huh?” Tony asked him, and Steve gave him a gentle smile before moving his hand to rest on Tony’s. “Yes, and I have been waiting for a long time to meet you,” Steve said, and as their marks appeared Tony’s eyes widened in realization, and they stared at each other as the blissful burn of the marks passed.

“Steve,” Tony breathed out, making Steve laugh a little watery. “Found you again, sweetheart,” he said, and Tony laughed before pulling him by the neck into a kiss.

##  **Earth 1092**

This time, the process was a bit longer. More painful, Steve admitted to himself, wincing how they seem to hate each other at the start. But it was worth the way Tony’s arms wrapped around Steve’s thin figure as he taught him calculus, and the way he would kiss Steve’s temple every time the other would solve it on a piece of paper and get the correct answer.

There might be no mark or sudden color to ensure that Tony was his soulmate, but Steve didn’t need a bigger proof than their past lives to feel like he belonged right there, in a small college dorm in Tony’s arms.

##  **Earth 1103**

Steve was working on a few files involved with the crime at the police station when he started tasting the familiar drink on his tongue. The taste of warm chocolate and soft marshmallows filled Steve’s taste buds, making him involuntarily smile and pause to savor the taste.

His phone lit up on the table next to his arm, and he picked it up to see a text from Tony.

_I’ll let you taste the real thing if you get home earlier :P_

Steve sent him a kiss emoji before saving files and shutting down his computer, shouting at his partner, Sam Wilson, to cover for him tonight.

##  **Earth 1367**

Steve snorted in the middle of a conversation with Natasha, Peggy, and Bucky when he realized that Tony was once again fooling around with his oldies playlist, if the song currently playing in his head were anything to go by. Just to annoy Tony, Steve began thinking of “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift.

If Tony had any plans of throwing a pillow at his head or ranting his ear off on how annoying pop songs are, he would just have to kiss it all better, right?

##  **Earth 2009**

Steve woke up to red feathers tinged with gold next to his white feathers with blue and red accents, and the sight made him smile before burying his face into the shoulder blades of his beloved Tony once more.

##  **Earth 2486**

Steve had to admit this life was one of the most creative one he had woken up to yet. Definitely not after the one where he was an omega; that one never gets old. But this? Living in the 40′s only to be buried in the ice and burn (or freeze-- haha, get it? Steve never did have a good sense of humor) through the 70 years and wake up in the 21st century? Definitely insane.

Made him go mad over the wait though, but he’s very certain the time he’s about to meet Tony is closer anyway.

For now, he had to deal with General Ross and Fury arguing over who gets custody over Steve, and he subconsciously rubbed on the soulmark. The words ‘That took longer than expected, by the way’ were written over his waist, which would be Tony’s first words to him. Steve can’t help but agree.

He heard Ross saying how Steve needed therapists to deal with the shock, and Steve barely held back a snort. This version was better to deal with anyway, unlike that one universe where he was Steph instead of Steve; that had been a trip. He banished that thought away, because he knew if he started looking back unto that particular lifetime he would end up laughing inappropriately in the middle of an argument that was probably leading up to a fistfight between an army general and a spy, now that Steve took the time to speculate once again the two men.

Steve figured none of what he would say would make it better, if not worse, so he kept his mouse shut. 

A few more minutes passed before Steve heard a commotion outside the conference room, and he had to cover his mouth so that Fury would not see the grin on Steve’s face. Fury did narrow his eyes at him, but Steve didn’t mind.

Tony was here.

The doors opened to reveal the man in an expensive suit and colored shades, looking between Ross and Fury before at Steve. Steve stared back, but before he could determine if Tony recognized him he turned his gaze back to Ross and Fury. 

“Okay, if anyone had any custody on Captain Spangles-” Steve hid his snort behind a cough “right there, it would be me.” Both men looked at him, and both obviously unimpressed.

“I don’t have time for your games right now, Stark,” Fury said, tone sharp and vicious, but Tony didn’t seem to care. “Who said I was playing, anyway? That took longer than expected, by the way,” Tony, who by then had his shades off, told Steve, who noticed the joy hidden in the other’s eyes. He knew if Fury was anything but a spy his eye would’ve widened, but he remained calm with only the tone of his voice giving his surprise away. Even that was slipping, Steve noted absentmindedly, but he only had eyes for Tony, who was still staring back.

“So the rumors are true,” Fury muttered, “what they say about you--” Steve cut him off.

“I guess they are.” He stood up and walked over to Tony, and intertwined his gloved fingers with Tony’s bare ones. “Checkmate,” Steve told Tony, who smiled at him briefly before turning back to the others.

“We’re leaving, and nobody gets him but me,” Tony said sternly, pulling Steve by the hand out the door before hearing any objections. They walked briskly down the corridor, and it was a few seconds before Tony spoke to Steve again.

“They don’t refuse if you don’t hear what they said; told you it works,” he said, and Steve laughed openly.

“I don’t think that’s how it works, but sure, Tony,” he replied, making Tony grin back at him as they stop at the doors of the exit.

“Brave new world, Steve. Better catch up,” was all he said before kissing Steve on the lips and pushing the doors open to reveal a red and gold armor.

“As long as you’re there,” Steve said with a smile full of love, and a few moments later they shot off to the sky to begin another life together once again.

##  **Earth 3569**

“Was it worth it?”

“Sure it is-” Steve said, and he smiled as the familiar sound of their wedding rings bumped against each other as they held hands, the rings glinting in the midst of flashing lights.

##  **Earth 3678**

“-It will always be worth it-” Steve said, before standing and walking away from Tony, bruised, tired, and broken.

##  **Earth 4008**

“-Because I love you Tony, and I always will.” He then laid a kiss on the cold surface, before standing up and walking away from Tony’s tombstone.

“I’ll see you again-”

##  **Earth 4100**

“-In another lifetime,” Steve said, ghosting a hand over Tony’s cheek before letting out his last breath, and Tony held that hand in his as Steve died, in the middle of the battlefield.

“I’m holding you to that,” Tony said, with tears in his eyes.

And they found each other.

In every lifetime, every world, every universe, they found each other.

They always did.

**Author's Note:**

> This is, again, an old work so... bear with me lmao I'll be posting more recent stuff later on though, so there's that!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
